The bar has been set very high for cable TV shows, and in its first several seasons “True Blood” easily met that standard. Yet it’s hard to keep things compelling as the years go by, and “True Blood” has slipped a bit over the years as practically every kind of creature from werewolves to shape shifters to fairies and more have been introduced with every kind of magic imaginable. Viewers can’t be surprised any more as something strange and bizarre emerges with every character. Some storylines are great, while others just take up time and keep some of the characters occupied. Fortunately, many of the characters remain compelling and the show hasn’t lost its sense of humor or sex appeal.

With Season 5 recently released on DVD and Blu-ray, “True Blood” is no longer one of the best shows on television and we’ve dropped it from our TV Power Rankings. Still, it’s a guilty pleasure with plenty of blood, humor, sex and of course more sex that is worth our time on Sunday nights or worth a Blu-ray or download purchase. For many guys like us, the parade of beautiful female characters who consistently find reasons to take their clothes off certainly adds to the appeal.

Fortunately, Russell Edgington returns in season 5 to provides loads of comic relief, but you’ll have to endure silly tangents like Terry Bellefleur’s Iraq nightmares as well. I won’t bother summarizing all of the storylines from this season, but I’ll touch on many of them as we look back at some of the beauties who get screen time. SPOILER ALERT: Don’t read on if you don’t want to know what happens!

Lilith (Jessica Clark)

DVD Screen Shot

Season 5 has a religious theme, with Bill and other vampires with the Authority worshiping the goddess Lilith, who appears as a stunning woman played by Jessica Clark. This casting decision alone helps make season 5 and the whole Lilith storyline watchable, as Clark looks amazing when she’s completely nude but not drenched in blood (even then she’ll grab your attention). Let’s hope that this leads to more roles for this stunning actress.

Sookie (Anna Paquin)

I loved Sookie early on, and you generally still root for her, but all the drama is getting tiring and her character is becoming a whiny bore. The lovely and talented Anna Paquin still does a nice job with the character but the writers haven’t given her much to work with. Sookie also took a break from the sexy scenes from previous seasons so that didn’t help.

Tara and Pam (Rutina Wesley and Kristin Bauer van Straten)

My favorite storyline of the season involves the love-hate relationship between Tara and Pam. Tara always hated vampires, but Sookie convinces Pam to turn her after Tara dies. Pam can’t seem to stand anyone other than Eric, and she had no use for Tara. But now she’s her maker, and as the season goes along, it’s hilarious to watch their relationship grow until the mutual attraction is undeniable. The kiss in the last episode is the perfect climax, and hopefully we’ll see much more of both of them in season 6.